From the very first lines to the very last note, your song should be designed to take your audience on a journey. It might be a catalyst for exploring emotions, or it could just inspire people to dance.

However, if your song is just meandering from one idea to the next, if its momentum disappears, or if it just suffers from a general lack of focus — these things can all be frustrating for fans. Check out this article on creating forward momentum in your melody if you’re looking for some techniques to help.

Image via Flickr by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer

Sticking with the original progression is sometimes the best option for verses or choruses. This can be because these patterns have already been established, which helps to make them catchy for your listener.

There are plenty of strong ways to write catchy songs, of course. However, these tips can prime your songs to become persistent in your listeners’ subconscious minds.

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Put down your instrument occasionally to depart from the familiar structures that usually shape your songs. Not only will this give you a little distance from your normal songwriting routine, but it will allow you to create a new paradigm for your writing process.

This is a similar concept to what more conventional narrative writers call psychic distance. It allows you to create some distance between yourself and the song, so you can see it from a different perspective.

Distractions and procrastination are possibly your worst enemies when it comes to writing a truly great song. These two foes can attack your confidence and sap your will if you let them.

It’s up to you to create the space in your life that’s necessary to actually put work into your craft. And it’s a mistake to write one good song and allow that to lull you into complacency. As Brian Wilson recently said in an interview with the Broward Palm Beach New Times, you have to always be “anxious to make each one better.”

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The strength of each beat in the melodic line should determine how you set the lyrics to the music. Look at the relationship of each beat to the next; you may find that you will need to choose a shorter or longer word, depending on the song’s configuration.

This may sound complicated, but it’s really a matter of looking at the beats and checking a thesaurus (or maybe a rhyming dictionary). If you’re trying to figure out how to match words to rhythm, this is really your best bet to having it all come together.

If there’s no cohesion between the music and the lyrics, your song won’t reach its full potential. By matching lyrics and melody, your idea will be communicated more smoothly and with a naturalistic style.

Doing this will give your audience a better feeling for the emotions that inspired you to create the song in the first place. It will give them insight into your intent as a songwriter, and that can be a very powerful thing. Check out this post from Songwriters in Seattle for more information about how to match melodies and lyrics.

Staring at an empty sheet waiting for ideas to come is just about the worst thing you can do in #writing #songs. Engage with other modes of music or literature, and the ideas are almost guaranteed to flow. Do this consistently, and the pages will write themselves.

Every musician you speak with will have a different opinion on how to invoke a songwriting on demand style of mentality in yourself. But if you make a conscientious effort, you’ll be much more likely to summon the proverbial muse when you need it most.

A series of notes or a strand of a song will sometimes pop into your head unsolicited. Be ready to somehow record those concepts, or risk losing them forever.

Considering the versatility of smartphones these days, you may want to explore the various ways to turn your phone into a recording studio. This will allow you to keep track of your ideas in an inclusive and comprehensive way.